The water question : a letter, addressed (by permission) to the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Derby, K.G., explaining a proposal for the supply of the metropolis from the higher sources of the Thames in conjunction with the storage of surplus waters / by J. Bailey Denton.

  • John Bailey Denton
Date:
1866
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The water question : a letter, addressed (by permission) to the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Derby, K.G., explaining a proposal for the supply of the metropolis from the higher sources of the Thames in conjunction with the storage of surplus waters / by J. Bailey Denton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    might river water contaminated to some extent with sewage in a particular locality be still called sewage at a distance of forty or fifty miles, after large bodies of pm-er Avater have greatly diluted the impurities, and the purifying influence of atmospheric oxygen has operated upon them, to an extent that their presence cannot readily be detected, even by delicate chemical tests. There is of course a limit to everything, and I do not deny that sewage water, after filtration through a great mass of soil, may be rendered perfectly clear, colourless and inodorous, and afterwards by admixture with large bodies of originally purer water, may become fit for drinking; but sewage of towns as such, cannot be rendered potahle hy filtration through soil. Hence it follows incontestably that just in proportion as spring or river- water is contaminated with sewage, clear though the purified sewage may be, in that proportion it will be less fit for drinking. In conclusion, I may add, that I have examined purified sewage, which when first received, was perfectly inodorous and colourless, after keeping for some time again became extremely offensive, and I need not add quite useless for any domestic purposes. However, supposing that town sewage could be so thoroughly deodorized and clarified as not to turn bad again, I still maintain the clearest, most inodorous and even agreeable tasting purified sewage, unless diluted with purer water to a considerable extent, is unfit not only for drinking, but also for cooking, washing, and general domestic purposes. Yours ftiithfully, AUGUSTUS VOELCKER. J. Bailey Denton, Esq. 17, Sussex Place, Regent's Park, November Sth, 1866. Dear Sir, It is quite impossible for mc to give a categorical answer to such an abstract general question as you have proposed, for in the first place the quality and nature of sewage differs in so wide a degree as to be itself nearly harmless, or so charged Avith noxious matters as to be a positive poison. In the next place the question of irrigation may be of extreme degrees, and so also may those of filtration and chemical precipitation. If, therefore, you put it to me Avhether the worst kind of sewage can be so dealt with by any reasonably practical means C